ENGLISH
REFERENCE

hover around

phrasal verb.
Definition

phrasal verb. to stay near a person or place because you are waiting for something or feel nervous.

phrasal verb. to remain in the immediate vicinity of a person, place, or numerical value, often characterized by indecision, anticipation, or slight fluctuation.


SIMPLE

The waiter hovers around our table waiting for the bill.

CONTEXTUAL

I noticed a few nervous parents hovering around the school gates on the first day of term.

COMPLEX

The company's stock price continued to hover around the fifty-dollar mark despite the recent economic downturn and negative press.

  • hang around
  • linger
  • loiter
  • wait nearby
Particles
around
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
hover + around + object
Usage

often implies a sense of lingering or waiting without a clear, immediate action.

Teaching tip

highlight the physical movement of 'hovering' (like a bird or helicopter) to help students visualize the lack of a fixed landing or departure.

Pitfall

He was hovering around to the kitchen.He was hovering around the kitchen.the phrase acts as a transitive unit here; do not add extra prepositions like 'to' before the location.

Last updated April 24, 2026